A few days ago my wife and I had the opportunity to "scond honeymoon" around East Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta, and it is not a special agenda for the second honeymoon, because only take advantage of the moment to attend our first graduation ceremony at Unair Surabaya. Which feels special this time, because we just go alone, without bringing children, because they have their own busyness. My second daughter was preoccupied with college affairs and tutoring in a fairly crowded course, while my youngest daughter was preparing for her elementary school final, so they could not go as usual, so this trip was a real scond honeymoon, the stairs are almost 25 years old, a memorable trip.
Just like the "eastern" who travel every time must think of gifts for relatives, neighbors or friends, so on the way this time, do not forget to just look for-by as I do every trip. But the souvenir that I "hurry" this time, of course must be different from before, then the traditional snacks of the area that we visit the top priority.
After following our first son's graduation procession, I and my wife have no special agenda other than visiting relatives who are in Java, because it's been a while since we have not been in direct contact with them directly. After two days in Surabaya and Bangkalan, we also "shifted" to Mojokerto, about 50 kilometers from Surabaya. There is one of my nephews, though often communicating by phone and social media, it feels bad if not meet directly, while there is a chance. The warm welcome of the family made us feel at home there for a long time, but because my leave and my wife's leave is very limited, we have to be smart to share the time.
Although not quite satisfied with my nephew family, but it seems we only have half a day, because it must continue silaturrahmi with family in other cities. Abysmal until in Mojokerto, yes there must be a typical souvenir from there that I have to carry. My nephew shows where to buy souvenirs typical of Mojokerto, which although in other areas there are also snacks of a kind, but here is somewhat different and has its own uniqueness.
Without wasting time, we immediately drove to Bo Liem onde-onde shop, still in downtown Mojokerto. A glimpse of the legendary onde-onde in Mojokerto is ordinary, the same as onde-onde in other cities. But there is the uniqueness and uniqueness of Bo Liem onde-onde, as we go down and enter the gift shop. Actually there is nothing special with this store, just a simple shop located on the street Empu Nala Mojokerto, with a nameplate that was almost dull, but somehow this shop every day rame "invaded" visitors. I just found out the uniqueness of this gift shop after going into the store and see first hand what is done there.
In contrast to other pastry shops whose kitchen is located behind and not seen by visitors, Bo Liem shop is quite unique, it is the kitchen is in the front of the store together with a display window where the cakes are sold. If another store hawk onde-onde in the form of ripe, but in this store very different, onde-onde that will be ordered by the visitor still in the form of dough, some store waiter stand by to make onde-onde according to order of visitor.
Uniquely, in other places, onde-onde only filled with sugar and peanut mixture, but onde-onde here have various contents with various flavors such as green beans, chocolate, durian, cheese, peanut, strawberry, jackfruit and many other flavors. Visitors are free to choose the flavors of the onde-onde they ordered and will bring it still hot because it is fried directly on the spot.
I approached the maids, ordered some boxes of deer-onde with various flavors, deftly served my order. With their hands wrapped in clean gloves, they began to round up the onde-onde with the content of my whole message, once it was wrapped up, the ondees were thrown into a large pan of hot oil with a burning stove. A young man who "duty" fry swiftly carry out their duties, while visitors can see first hand all the process of making onde-onde samil waiting for the customer finished. Somehow mark it, but hundreds of simultaneously fried ondees have never been mixed with flavor, it seems like special skills and experience for years, I can only shake my head to see their "skill".
As soon as the onde-onde cooks and is lifted from the frying pan, still hot, the waitresses begin to put the ondees into small plastics the size of the onde-onde, then arrange them in boxes, each box contains 10 onde-onde with various flavors , but visitors may also request one box of flavors, depending on taste and amount of peasanan. The price offered by the Bo Liem shop is also very "affordable", for a box containing 10 onde-onde, visitors simply pay 20 thousand rupiah only. Which also made me wonder, although packaged in a hot state, but onde-onde it does not necessarily "sweaty" or stale, even can hold up for several days.
Not only onde-ode sold in Bo Liem's shop, there are various kinds of snacks, crisps from various ingredients and various crackers, but the most sought after and loved by the visitors are only two types, namely onde-onde and wispy.
Wrinkles are a kind of pastry shaped exactly like a marke, but the main ingredients are sticky rice flour, sweet rasaya, savory and crunchy and durable longer, can be up to 2 months without changing taste and kernyahannya, provided not left open the package.
Abandoning the city of Mojokerto, I was satisfied to bring this unique "gift" from this city, some boxes onde-onde plus some wrinkled wraps, enough to be shared for my brothers in Yogyakarta and Magelang. Actually want to also bring the onde back to Aceh, but I'm worried, even in Aceh even can not be eaten, anyway I can message with my nephew, if want again.
As a person who has a hobby of eating, the tour to a unique culinary place has always been my favorite, not just to satisfy my appetite but more than my curiosity about the culinary uniqueness itself, and Bo Liem's onde-onde is one of the unique snacks I found in my journey this time. Could be a reference for friends, because in addition it feels good, the process of making and how to sell it I consider unique.